Box-lid opener or closer.



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UNITED STATES PATENT OFFICE.

NORMAN P. HICKS, OF BROOKLYN, NEW YORK.

BOX-LID OPENER OR CLOSER.

'SPECIFICATION forming part 0f Letters Pat/erft No. 677,660, dated. July 2, 1901. Application filed December 15, 1900. Serial No. 40,058. (No model.)

T all whom, t may concern:

Beit known that I, NORMANP. HICKS, a citizen of the United States, and a resident of the city of New York, borough of Brooklyn, in the county of Kings and State of New York, have invented a new and Improved Box-Lid Opener or Closer, of which the following is a full, clear, and exact description.

This invention relates to improvements in devices for opening and closing hinged lids of boxes, particu larly inking-pad boxes; and the object is to provide a simple attachment by means of which the lid may be opened and closed without the necessity of a person bringing his fingers in direct contact with the lid, thus preventing the soiling of the fingers by any ink that may be on the lid or box.

I will describe a box-lid opener and closer embodying my invention and then point out the novel features in the appended claims.

Reference is to be had to the accompanying drawings, forming a part of this specification, in which similar characters of reference indicate corresponding parts in both the views.

Figure lis a perspective view of the device attached to a box with the lid open, and Fig. 2 is a similar view with the box-lid closed.

Referring to the drawings, 1 designates the box, having the hinged or swinging lid 2, and arranged in the box l iScthe inking-pad 3. Pivoted to one end of the box is the opening and closing device, consisting of a lever 4:,

' which at one end extends beyond the front edge of the box and is provided with a fingerpiece 5. The opposite end extends rearward at the rear edge of the box and has an upwardly-extended portion 6, from which a finger 7 extends inward to engage with the lid of the box, as indicated in the drawings. Between the upwardly-extended portion 6 and the pivotal point et of the lever a linger 8 extends inward from the lever and is adapted to engage with the under side of the end iiange of the lid. If desired, said end flange may be provided with a notch 9 to receive the said linger 8.

In operation when the lid is closed a slight tap on the finger-piece 5 will move the forward end of the lever downward,consequently causing the tinger 8, which engages with the lid, to swing said lid upward and tomove backward on the slight incline to engage with the finger 7. There it is desired to close the lid, the lever is to be operated in the same manner, and the finger 7 will force the lid forward, so that it will fall to its closed position. l

This device will be found very convenient in connection with an inking-pad box, because a person may hold a stamp in one hand and operate the lever with the little finger of the same hand, and therefore the other hand is free to hold the paper or other matter to be stamped, and obviously in operating the device the persons fingers do not at any time come in contact with the box. It is obvious that instead of a person tapping the lever with his iingers he may tap the lever'with a stamp..

Having thus fully described my invention, I claim as new and desire to secure by Letters Patentl l. In connection with a box having a hinged lid, a lever having pivotal connection with one end of the box, a finger extended inward from said lid and adapted for engagement with the innerside of the lid, and a nger on the end of said lever rearward of the rear edge of said box and adapted for engaging with the outerside of the lid and operating to move the lid to its closing position upon a downward pressure on the front end of the lever, as set forth.

2.,In connection with an inking-pad box having a swinging lid, of a lever pivoted to one end of the box and having a portion extended forward at the front edge of the box, and a portion extended rearward beyond the rear edge of the box, the said rear portion being turned upward and then inward, and a nger on the lever between its pivotal point and rear end, and adapted to pass between the box and the lid, substantially as specified.

In testimony whereof I have signed my name to this specication in the presence of two subscribing witnesses.

NORMAN P. HICKS. Witnesses:

F. J. LEYENDECKER, CHRIS BAINBACH. 

